What is BREEAM?

BREEAM is the world's foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings, with 200,000 buildings with certified BREEAM assessment ratings and over a million registered for assessment since it was first launched in 1990.

BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation and has become one of the most comprehensive and widely recognised measures of a building's environmental performance.

A BREEAM assessment uses recognised measures of performance, which are set against established benchmarks, to evaluate a building’s specification, design, construction and use. The measures used represent a broad range of categories and criteria from energy to ecology. They include aspects related to energy and water use, the internal environment (health and well-being), pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes.

A certificated BREEAM assessment is delivered by a licensed organisation, using assessors trained under a UKAS accredited competent person scheme, at various stages in a building's life cycle. This provides clients, developers, designers and others with:

market recognition for low environmental impact buildings

confidence that tried and tested environmental practice is incorporated in the building

inspiration to find innovative solutions that minimise the environmental impact

a benchmark that is higher than regulation

a system to help reduce running costs, improve working and living environments

What does BREEAM do?

BREEAM addresses wide-ranging environmental and sustainability issues and enables developers, designers and building managers to demonstrate the environmental credentials of their buildings to clients, planners and other initial parties, BREEAM:

uses a straightforward scoring system that is transparent, flexible, easy to understand and supported by evidence-based science and research

has a positive influence on the design, construction and management of buildings

defines and maintains a robust technical standard with rigorous quality assurance and certification

Who uses BREEAM?

Clients, planners development agencies, funders and developers use BREEAM to specify the sustainability performance of their buildings in a way that is quick, comprehensive, highly visible in the marketplace and provides a level playing field.

Property agents use it to promote the environmental credentials and benefits of a building to potential purchasers and tenants.

Design teams use it as a method to improve the performance of their buildings and their own experience and knowledge of environmental aspects of sustainability.

Managers use it to reduce running costs, measure and improve the performance of buildings, empower staff, develop action plans and monitor and report performance at both the single building and portfolio level